Conventional street luminaires mounted high overhead are preferably serviceable from underneath where it is easiest to access them from the street. Service access within the luminaire housing would include access to the light source itself as well as the service compartment containing the supporting electrical components that power and operate the light source. The service compartment is typically sealed, and accessible through a removable door. Both the light source and the removable door face downwardly, so that service personnel standing on a ladder or lift basket can install and later service the light source and supporting electrical components while positioned underneath the luminaire.
There are several possible configurations for removably attaching the service compartment door to the housing. The door could be hinged to the housing, so that once unlatched, the door would swing down under the force of gravity to expose the service compartment. This configuration is ideal for minor work because it provides quick and simple access to the service compartment. The only tool needed would be one to operate the latch, and the latch could be configured to operate by hand which would mean no tools would be necessary to operate the door. However, for extensive work, the door hanging down from the housing could impede work, and increase the risk of the worker damaging the door by bumping into it. Additionally, the door could fall off if the hanging mechanism is not well designed or the open door is subjected to excessive force.
Alternately, the door could be entirely removable from the housing, whereby removing securing screws or bolts would allow the door to separate completely from the housing. The complete removal of the door would take longer than simply rotating it open with a hinge, and is more cumbersome because the worker needs to carefully collect the door and any securing screws/bolts as they fall away from the housing. However, once the door is removed, there would be unimpeded access to the service compartment. Once the servicing is complete, the door would have to be reattached. Due the complexity of this configuration it would not be ideal for minor servicing as the removal and replacement of the door could take more time than the servicing itself.
There is a need for a luminaire service compartment door design that allows easy access to the service compartment without completely removing the door, but additionally allowing for the convenient removal of the door in those situations where unimpeded access is necessitated. Moreover, it is desired to have the capability of removing the door without the need for tools, yet not have the door precariously attached thus risking it falling off during servicing under the force of gravity.